Significant changes are being made to the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program—after a slew of Solicitation Refreshes from December to April, GSA is planning on releasing MAS Solicitation 7QSMD20R0001 - Refresh #12 on May 16, 2022. Unlike Refresh #11 which revised a single clause note 52.223-99, Ensuring Adequate COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, Refresh #12 is introducing several major changes. It’s important to note that while this Refresh is packed, there will be no accompanying mass modification.
First, GSA is expanding the Springboard Startup program to all MAS Large Categories, allowing certain companies with fewer than 2 years of business to get a GSA Schedule. GSA is also adding a new IT Special Item Number (SIN) and is providing advanced notice of 2 SINs that will be retired in the next Refresh. Refresh #12 clearly is very involved, so we're going to break down these changes and review how they may impact you.
GSA to Expand the Springboard Startup Program
GSA originally created the Information Technology (IT) Springboard Program to allow IT startup companies to get a GSA Schedule with fewer than 2 years in business. In the MAS Solicitation Refresh #12, GSA is opening this program up to all of the MAS Large Categories. Using the Springboard Program, companies who have been in business for less than 2 years can use different forms of experience and documentation to supplement the 2 year requirement to get a GSA contract. This includes:
- Using your executives and key professionals' professional experience to substitute for two years of corporate experience.
- Using key personnel's project experience to substitute for relevant corporate past performance.
- Providing financial documentation that demonstrates your company's financial responsibility instead of submitting two years of financial statements. If no financial statements exist, the Contracting Officer may request additional documentation after submission.
If you want to know more about whether you meet the requirements for the Startup Springboard Program, you can email ITCSC@gsa.gov for specific details.
Changes to Specific Large Categories and Special Item Numbers (SINs)
In addition to expanding the Springboard Startup Program, GSA is also making some significant updates to Facilities (Large Category B) and Information Technology (Large Category F). It’s important to review each change to the SINs because it could affect your current or future offerings.
Facilities (Large Category B)
In the Facilities Large Category, GSA plans to close and retire SIN 561210FS Facilities Support Services. In other words, this SIN is scheduled to be closed to all new offers and Add SIN Modifications on June 1, 2022, and will be fully retired on June 30, 2022. What does this mean for contractors with this SIN?
In Refresh #12, GSA is just providing advanced notice of this retired SIN. It will not be officially retired until they release Refresh #13 in the future. Eventually, all existing GSA contractors under the SIN 561210FS Facilities Support Services will need to submit a modification to add the 561210FAC Facilities Maintenance and Management SIN. More information will be released with Refresh #13.
Information Technology (Large Category F)
GSA is making a few changes to SINs in the IT Large Category. First, GSA is adding a new SIN to the IT Solutions Subcategory: SIN 518210FM - Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO) Core Financial Management (FM) Solutions and IT Professional Services. Once the Refresh is released on May 16, 2022, you can add this new SIN through an Add Modification.
This new SIN was created based off an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive and was a joint effort between GSA and the Treasury/Bureau of the Fiscal Service/Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO). This SIN establishes the FM QSMO marketplace consisting of commercially available FM solutions to support agency requirements for cloud computing services and Cloud Related IT Professional Services.
There are 4 subgroups in SIN 518210FM:
- Core Financial Management Solutions (Core FS)
- Additional Financial Management (FM) Solutions
- Financial Management (FM) Service/Solution Adoption and Transition Services
- Financial Management (FM) Technology Operations Support Services
Since this new SIN involves cloud services, it will require technical evaluation criteria:
- Contractors must submit a cover letter identifying the proposed SIN subgroups, technical evaluations spreadsheet, and the Price Proposal Template (which is not being updated in Refresh #12.)
- Contractors must propose at least 1 subgroup (no more than 4).
- Contractors will be subject to a technical evaluation that will be performed by the Department of Treasury’s FM QSMO Project Management Office (PMO).
A technical evaluation form will be available on GSA’s Available Offerings and Requirements webpage once the Solicitation Refresh is released.
GSA Plans to Retire CDM SIN
GSA also plans to close SIN 541519CDM Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Tools on June 1, 2022, and retire it on June 30, 2022. After this SIN is retired, GSA plans transition into a new logo initiative that will broaden and highlight the CDM-approved hardware and software products and associated services. Again, just like the Facilities SIN, GSA is just providing advanced notice for this SIN. It will not be officially retired until Refresh #13.
Once the SIN is officially retired, current GSA contractors with the CDM SIN can add their items to SIN 33411 Purchasing of New Electronic Equipment, SIN 511210 Software Licenses SIN, or other SINs with similar scope of your offerings.
Planning for Future GSA Changes
MAS Refresh #12 has several key changes, and it’s clear that Refresh #13 will also be a big deal because it will officially retire at least 2 SINs. Unlike most other Refreshes, Refresh #12 will not have a mass modification, meaning you do not have to formally accept it in the Mass Mod system. However, it’s important you understand all the updates made in this Refresh and figure out a plan for Refresh #13 if any of the SINS mentioned are within your scope.
GSA has been releasing several Solicitation Refreshes, and we know it can seem overwhelming or be difficult to keep up with. If you want to stay updated on future changes to the MAS Solicitation and other government contracting news, check out our blog and subscribe to our monthly newsletter. If you have questions about your GSA Schedule related to this Refresh or in general, one of our consultants would be happy to help.
